Wire-stripping machine



Dec. 9, 19330. c. B. MAHAN ET AL 1,784,298

' WIRE STRIPPING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l By flpk Attorney Dec. 9, 1930. c, MAHAN ET AL 1,784,298

, WIRE STRIPPING MACHINE- Filed March 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet y Attorney Patented Dec. 9, 1930 entra n STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES B. MAEAN AND CAR-L M. WEBER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO WEBER MACHINE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK winn-srnrrrme MACHINE Application filed March 2,

This invention relates to wire stripping machines which are used for the purpose of stripping the insulation from insulated wire, and the invention has for its various objects:

To provide a stripping machine which is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

To provide a machine with which the insulation canbe quickly. and easily stripped from insulated solid wire stranded tinsel, multi-conductor cable or any other insulated wire in order to-expose the wire at predetermined points or sections in the length of the wire.

To provide the stripping machine with suitable adjusting means so that wire of various diameters may be stripped in the machine.

To provide other adjusting means in the machine with which the length of the section of the wire to be stripped can be gauged and the point automatically located at which the stripping operation is to begin on the wlre. v

@To provide the machine with means whereby the insulation stripped from the wire is blown away into a suitable receiving duct so that the dust caused by the stripping operation is kept out of the bearings of the spindie of the machine and away from the operator of the machine.

T o rovide circular cuttin knives for the P V e stripping machine so that the cutting edge of each knife can be quickly changed by a slight turn of the knife without throwing the machine out of adjustment. 7

To provide an angular mounting for each of; the knives and locate them with relation to one another so that when brought in contact with the insulation each knife will individually and efliciently cut the insulation with its cutting edge. e All these andother objects of this invention will be apparent-from the accompanyingdrawings. the specification and the appended claims forming a part thereof.

In the accompanying drawings: .Figure 1 isasideelevation and partial sectional view ofthe wire stripping machine,

1929. Serial No. 344,075.

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the jaw and its cutting knife illustrated in Figure 3.

F i 'ure 5 isa front elevation of the completed stripper head as it appears when the jaws and their cutting knives are brought together to encircle a wire for the stripping operation. I Figure 6 is a front elevation of the stripper head with the jaws opened ready to have a wire inserted bet-ween them.

Figure 7 is a partial side elevation and sectional view of a modified form of the stripping machine with which the insulation may be stripped at predetermined intermediate points in the length of the wire and also over a longer distance than'is possible with the machine illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the wire stripping machine illustrated in F igure '7 illustrating the manner in which a continuous len th of wire may be stripped at predetermined intervals by feeding the wire from a roll through the stripping machine from the rear thereof;

Figure 9v illustrates a continuous section of wire which has been stripped in the machine at predetermined intervals.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The machine forming the subject matter of this invention is intended for use primarily where insulated wire of allkinds must be stripped in great quantities such as in the manufacture of radio and other electrical apparatus in which a great number of wire connections must be made. The machine is provided with suitable adjustments so that the wire is stripped uniformly at predeten mined points and over predetermined lengths and these adjustments are easily and quickly made. Further adjustments for the accommodation of wire of different diameter and other adjustments for the renewal of the cutting edge of the cutting knives all serve to make the stripping machine universal in its application and use.

As illustrated m the figuresthe wire stripping machine including its driving means is "mounted on a suitable, bed-plate or base 1.

The drivinggmeans for the machine illus tratedin Figure 1 comprises the electric motor 2 which is bolted to the base at the right -hand end thereof. The housing of the motor 2 is extended at the left by the housing 3 surrounding the stripper mechanism and this extension housing is suitably fastened to the motor housing and forms a continuat on of i iton one side of the motor.

which the wire to be stripped is inserted.

H The end of the housing 3 is'closed by the cover plate 4 in the center of which is located the opening 5 thru At the back of the, cover plate 4 and eccen- .tricthereto is mounted to rotate thecircular I gauge plate 6. This gauge plate is provided with a series of open ngs of varying diameter preferably 1 /1, fi and of an inch diameter and these holes are radially spaced from the center of the gauge plate so that theycan be consecutively brought in line with the center of the opening 5 in the cover plate 4 on the rotation of'the gauge plate. In

this way a large or small hole may be'located i f in the cover plate 'corrcspondingto the diameter ofthe wire which is to be inserted into the machine for the purpose of stripping the insulation from it. A suitable friction means such as a small. steel ball 7 is seated in the back of thecover plate and is projected into a the holes 8, 8 so that the, engagement of the ball with one of these holes will hold the gauge plate in a position in which thedesired size hole 6A of'tlie gauge plate is held in line with the center of the opening 5 in thecover plate. r

Inithe top of the housing is provided a ,portuopening 10 which may be opened orv closed by the port cover 11 which is suitably hinged to the topof the housing. Inthe bot- .tom of the hous ng 3 is provided the opening .12 and the exhaust duct 13. The opening 12 is located adjacent to the motor housing and thru it extends the operating lever 14. The

i d net/"13 is located near the front of the housmg and extends from the bottomof'the-hous,

ingklown'wardly thru thebase or bed plate 1 for a purpose that will presently appear. Thearmature shaft 15 of the motor 2 proj ects'into the housing-3 andprovides the spindle 15 on which. the stripper head and its operatlng mechanism are carred. This stripper head comprises the collar16- having three 7 radial slots 17.17. 17 uniformly spaced in the periphery thereof. In each of these slots is mounted to rock on a suitable pivotpin a jaw lever 18; the forward end of which carries a stripped is held in order to strip all of circular cutting knife 30. The rearward end of each jaw lever 18 engages the operating cone 20 and is held in contact with the cam surface of the cone by the continuous coil spring 21 whichencircles the rearward ends. "ofall'of the lever jaws. The spring is held in place on theends of the jaw levers by its engagement into the depressions provided In ,the ends for this purpose.

The operating cone 20 is mounted to slide on the spindle 15 provided by the extension Figure 1, by the operating lever 14. The upper end of this operating lever is forked to form a yoke and partially encircles the spindie and is adaptedto make contact with the rear of the collar 22.. Between the collar 22 and a second similar collar 23 is located the antifriction thrustbearing 24. 'Fastened to, the rear of the operating cone ahead of the collar 28 isthe lei-bladed fan 25 which rotates f with thecone fora purpose that will presently appear. f The collarsand antifr'iction thrust bearing are'provided to reduce the friction between the operating lever and the collar-22 as it permits this collar to remain stationary with the end of] the operating lever. l4'whi1e the antifriction thrust bearing and the operating cone 20 are rotating. r

The stripper head of the machine is fastened 'to the outer end of the spindle so as a to rotate withtit." Inthe machine illustrated in Figure 1 the spindle is cut away atthe perimeter toprovlde an opening between the spindle and the stripper head of the armature shaft and is adapted to be moved forward thereon that is to the left in into which "the stem 26 of the gauge 27 is adapted to'be inserted and fastened in place therein'by the set screw 28.' The stem of the gauge 27 may thus be adjustably fastened" to the end of the spindle in orderto project the required distance" from the spindle and form a stop against which the wire to be the wires the de'sired unifo'rm length. Thecutting of the insulation is done by the cutting edge of the circular knives 30 it is held in a predetermined'angular position in "both the vertical and horizontal plane. It is this angular mounting of the knives that secures to the machine the thigh efliciency in stripping the insulation fromvwire, in that it provides the proper cutting angle for the rotatingcuttingedge'of each of the knives" .and a'llo'ws theknife edges to overlap each other, as illustrated in Figure 5,' when broughttogether to close over the insulation of the wire to be stripped; i

r The hub'of the operating lever 14 extends to one side of the housing 3 and from it ex trends the; arm 31. 1*.N62t1 theouter-end ofwthis arm is provided the adjusting sorew. 32-which 1.

is threaded thru the arm toiprojectggfrom the underside and form'therstopr which arrests the. clow11warcl;.move1nentofs the. arm at thedesiredpoint. Ai locknut33. with a leveraforrotating it is threaded on'ithe adjusting screw and serves .to lock the adjust ing screw atany desired location. Tothe I a router'endot the arm 31is. attached aasuitable link 3ewhichzpassesa thru'the bed plate of .themachine and isin turn. attached to; a-suitable treadlex35. I The arm 31- istllnsmoeke-d on the depression-of the; atreadle by; the op- 15 eratorslfoot which 11D turnoperates the mawillnow' be described chine to performthesstripping operation as Thejaw levers 18. are normallyfheldapart 7 asillustrated in; Figure- 6 by :the contraction a 29 .of the coil springQlwhichencircles the rear Lends of= :theselevers. I This: action 0f the :spring, also forces theioperating cone rear- 1 wardly onithe spindle 15; and rocks the-opersating lever 14 and arm 31 to its starting pozaisition. wThe Wl'IBii to bestripped is inserted -into'the opening'in the cover plate and the ;-.opcning in the diaphragm until? the end of :the: wire has reached the; gauge '27. and a further movement isarrestedbyit. The'eoperator thendepresses'the :treadle 35 -which rocks the arm 31 and with it the operating lever :14. :The operating-lever 1l-inturn slides the operating cone 20 forwardly. along the spindle and in so doingforces the (rear'ends 35 of theaw levers up onthe inclined conesurface: against the .pressureotthe spring2l. As tllQwIBdIBIlClS of thejaw levers 'ridegup onthe cone surface the forward ends of these lGWSI'SJWilZh their knivesr30' close inon the "WIPES which has been inserted .betweenuthem until the kmves engagexthe 1nsulat1onandcut into it the full depth. The stripper head slS; rotated. at ahighrate ofspeed and as the knives thereof enter the insulation '5 they quickly cut intoqiitand-sever the portion of the insulation; of.-'the:wirewhich has been inserted in the stripper head. On the withdrawal of the wire while the knives are still closed around the insulated wire the severed portion of the insulation within the.

stripper head is stripped from the wire and the bare wire exposed in place of it.

In order to secure the proper cutting depth for the knives, which depends on the thickness of the insulation surrounding the wire,

the movement of the arm 31 is adjusted by. This screw means of the adjusting screw 32. is threaded in or out of the arm in order to allow the arm to swing-the desired distance which will bring the cutting knives together to a point where they will cut into the insuf lation to sever it without however cutting into the wire which it surrounds. By adjust ing the adjusting screw, wire of large and small diameter, as well as wire with thick or motor or other source of'power. bearing 51 lsheld-inplace in the upright by .thin insulation, can thus be stripped in, the

machine. c

:When the insulation is cut by the cutting knivesof the stripper head a certain amount of dust is produced but this dust and lint as o bearings of the spindle as well as the motor and by blowing it downwardly out of the housing thru theduct 13 it is also kept away I from the operator of the machine.

In the modified form of the machine illustrated in Figure 7 thespindle of the :-stripping machine isdriven by abelt-or train of gearing. This construction of the machine makes it possible to use a hollow spindlewith suitable adjustingmeans. so thatlonger ends of the wireor sections intermediate of: the. ends. of the :wire canbestrippedwith the machine. Thestrippingmechanismof the chine remains the same in this formoi the machine except that the spindle is hollow ,and is mountedin two ball bearings 51 and 52-. which are mountedinthe uprights 53 and54. The two uprights are spaced and between them is located onthe spindle thedriving pulley 55. This pulley i-is suitably-keyed to the spindle and isdriven bya belt from a The ball the nut 56 but between it andthe ball bearing 51 and surrounding the spindle 50 is placed the felt; washer 57 i which. serves-to ;keep-:the dust out of the-ballbearingr 51.

A nut: 58 isthreaded into the-upright. 54 and holds the ball bearingv 52 ;in; place therein. Thespindle 150 V has the nut 59 threaded to theenclbf it, which nuttogether with.

pulley r keyed .to the spindle serve to hold the spindle against endwise;movementlwithin the ball bearings 51- and 52.

The gauge for gauging the lengthotwire to bestripped-is provided in this form ofthe machine by .theplunger, 60. This plunger-is inserted linto the rear. ,end of the hollow spindle. and can be fastened .in place therein at; any desired :distance bymeans of the set .,s crew,61. The wire tobe stripped may thus ,beinserted into .thecmachine until theendof the wirestrikesthe forward-end. of the plunger within the hollow spindle which has been inserted intothespindleso that onthe operation of the stripper head at; this. point the desired length of the insulation is stripped fromthe wire.

Itdesired the plunger may be. entirely withdrawn. fromthe. spindle allowing the wire to bestripped to extend thru the spindle any desire length. A section of the insulationof the wire intermediate of the ends can i then be strippednfrom' the 'wireby simply- .operating the stripp'er head at the proper point in the wire and withdrawingthe wire thedesiredlength it is required to strip'the insulation at this point. I a As illustrated in Figure 8 the insulation may be stripped at predetermined intervals v ifrom acontinuous length of wire. For'this operationthe wire is fed from its roll thru the rear of the hollow spindle and pulled thru "the spindle, stripper head and the openings in the gauge plate and cover plate at, the front f sam'e time as the stripped section'whiohprothe succeeding length of wire. trated in Fi ure 9 where the dotted lines indidistance cable, 7 r

- not the machine. Bypulling the wire a predetermined distance thru the machine without operating the stripper head and then operating'the stripper head while the wire is pulled another"predetermined distance, awire of anyjlengthmay be stripped of its insulation at predetermined intervals and the V insulation stripped over any desired length e at these intervals. I

' 'W-ire thus stripped can thenibe cut apart intermediate of thestripped sections so that each section of the wire'cut ofiwill have both of its ends'stripped of' the insulation. In thisway it may be said that with the aid of this machine twof ends of successive lengths of Wire'are stripped of their insulation atfthe 'vides the endot one 'length'ot wire also provides the stripped end =forlth'e beginning of This is illuscated by re erence numerals 7 O and 71 show the points at which the wire'is to be cut at the stripped sections. I

Wire stripped at suitable intervals is also used to have leads or bus bars fastened to the stripped sections at these intervals inorder to facilitate making connections with the wire at predetermined'pointsfi Another important feature of the machine "#3? lies in the fact that more than two cutters areiused' so that when the stripper'head is operated the cutters or knives close in unij v formly against a common center which is occupied by the wire to be stripped. The

depth thru which the cutters or knives'are to out can thus be properly gauged. This tures.

a plurality of circular knives carried by said stripper head andmounted concentrically to the center. ofrotationof said stripper head and infan angular position to each other,

means for uniformly movingsaid circular 'knivesin their relative angular position toward a common center during the rotation of said stripperhead; to have their cutting edges overlap one another and cut theyin-, sulationof a wire located in said stripper head radially and axially toathe wire. 1

2. In a wire stripping machine-having a stripperhead and means-for locating thewire t to be stripped Tin a predetermined central position with relation thereto; the combina 'tion of a hollow shaft supporting said "stripper head, a plurality of" circular 'knives' mounted on said stripper ahead concentric to said hollow 1 shaft and at an angle T thereto; means for moving said circular kniv'esin their angular position toward a' common center'duringthe rotation of said stripper head tohave-their cutting edges simultane ously engage the insulation ofthe wire to be stripped inthei'r angular position and cut the I insulation radiallyand axially on its movement thru said'hollow shaft.

- 3. Ina'wirestripping machine having a stripper head the combination of a jaw lever mounted to rock Jon said stripper head, a cir'-.

cular knife carried inavertical'and horizontalzingular positiononeach of said jaw levers and. means for rotatably adjusting saidcircular knives on the'end' of said jaw levers. p v o In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- I oaR-L' WEBER.

allowsthe outer insulation of multi-conductorcable. to bestripped without cutting into r the insulation of the individualconductors. Q The insulationoftheindividual conductors v fmaythen be stripped separately and a shorter than the insulationof the complete a In Figure 9 machineand the dotted lines'indicatedby,

reference numerals 70 and 71'indicate where the stri ped sections may be cut to provide ;strippe ends at either end of a section of.

is illustrated a continuous sec tion of wire which hasbeen stripped in the v GHARLESBMAHAN. L. 

